What it's like to live in La Grange
La Grange is a small city in Kentucky with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, crime rates well below the national average, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. La Grange deals with cold winters, above-average rainfall, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
- Growing population
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Cold winters
- Above-average rainfall
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How La Grange compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to La Grange
Based on La Grange's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,286
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $45,720 a year
- 43% of La Grange renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$56,640
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $28,320
- Homes cost 3.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 19% below US
$1,143/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,143 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $283,200. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $283,200 · 43% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.9% county unemployment
Unemployment in Oldham County is 3.9%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Oldham County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 80% below US
66 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 1069/100k · La Grange Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
26 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 25.5 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 11% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 86°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 26°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 5.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforceNear US average
38% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 38% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
1 public school inside the boundary
There is 1 public school inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park (58 miles away). There are 6 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
La Grange's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are cold winters and above-average rainfall. A year of median rent ($1,143/mo) equals 16% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and anyone prioritizing low crime.
Other places near La Grange
All Kentucky guides →Moving to Shelbyville →
15 mi away · pop. 17,668
Rent $1,033/mo · Income $75,610
Compare with La Grange →Moving to Jeffersontown →
17 mi away · pop. 29,199
Rent $1,320/mo · Income $81,506
Compare with La Grange →Moving to St. Matthews →
18 mi away · pop. 17,577
Rent $1,369/mo · Income $82,412
Compare with La Grange →Not sure La Grange is the one?
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